Door seal



J. C. DUDLEY July 4, 1950 DOOR SEAL Filed April 30, 1948 l n n n n i i Patented July 4, 195.0

E UNITED "STATES PATENT A DITIFICE` DOOR SEAL f f' John 0.Dudley; Highland Park',V Mich., a assgnor to Chrysler'Corporation, Hig-hland.Pa.rk,aMieh., a. corporation ofDelaware Application* April? 30, 1948,A 1Serial-#Negli2252.289v

' ecleims.- (cl. 296-144) Thisl invention relates to' closure' seals and 'has partieularreference to automobile door vsealvcon'- structions which provide an efficient, economical, durable seal that.' effectively 'cushions thev closing of! thef-door, eliminates the possibility? ofi? rattles between the doori'and its supporting 'framework and insures a substantially. airtight 'seal around the'ventire-'door perimeter."l Thief-.necessity for an airtightseal around 'al vehicle door'has'ibe'corne: ofl increasingfimportance duelnot onlyvtofthe cle--v sire:to eliminate drafts Withinwthefvehicle ybut also dueto' the `fact that airtight interiorsfare essential fori Vehicles havinginterior heating and so-calledl-air conditioning equipment.

In theV past it has been quite common tefuse compression-type strips between `.the marginal flanges of *theV hinged` vehiclev doors and the supporting door frames. Some of therdisadvanta'ges of the compression-type Seals are that theyr` interfere with and provide a hardd'ooriclosin'g action, theydo not'provide an-eili'cient seal; for 'often they seal only at the highpoints'andfail tofseal at the low points' alongr the door edgesa'ndthey require a more ruggeda'nd more"expensive-v type' of seal` inl order to withstand the destructiven compressive lforces seti-up during: doorclosingra'ction.

-In an effortl tcovercomesthe disadvantages.y of' the-compressioni--type o'fi seal, resilientoanttf lever-type seals have beenfproposedll 'zThe' cantilever-type' of seal'` is, designed to4 have.. the.v 4resilient sealinginger bentv into sealing. engagement with the supporting frameworkAV to' thus tension the sealing nger against'the'framework. This` bending' of the sealing 'finger' against' the!y supporting. framework provides'a softdoor'closinglaction fan-'di insures anfeicientv seal "atialt points. along. theisealingi' iciint. By using l -a'lcantilevertype2sea1 it isV possible to.v secure an.4 airtight seal along the.' entiretsealing@ jeinty regardless` of the variations in `clearance along" the jointr andpfurthermore, a less rugged, cheapxvtype of.' seal may ber'used duell tofthe. fact vthat.'.thersealingiL-strip is notvv required tolwithstandf destructive rconipression forces :but is Vmerely tensione@ 'against :the f' supporting-framework. i

fy'iorming thefcantileverfseal' symmetrically so thatthe: sealing finger'projectsfffrom-:the basef Uftheseal along aline that `insects; the anglefbetweenthe sides ofthe sealythe po'ssibiliiyicillin-` stalling the seal kincorrectly isfeliminateda and the-y speedcwithwhich. such a seal-can be installed is substantially: increased. Broadly rtheiusa of at symmetrically-shapedI cantilever-typeA offsealA` is' disclosed in the yapplication o=Kar1fRieifer;;Serial No. 760,957-,f1ed lJuly.15,1194'7LE:This:application.

' covers' anT improvement. 'entliePfei-ffer design l a cantilever-typesealing strip'` isbentf into sealingl mental tdtlie life "oi'ithe bond. Ithaslbeen foundA that by providing the base ciV the sealing* strip with -stressi relieving indentations or grooves the lifefof the sealing strip isconsiderably increased andf'the bonded? J'feir'ity between the sea-ling strip and the edge ofthe-supporting door ispractically unaffected-by door-closing action.' Not only do the#stress-'relieving indentations 1 relieve the stressesi in the base ofthe :strip and inthebonded' jfoint -betweenthestrip eind thesu-pporting member; but they also in-iprovethe hingingv action' of thes'ealing iingerabout the basefpo'rtion'of the strip; The increasedexibility of the sealing finger,` due to1tl'ievs'tress-relieveing linden-tations; providesa softer door closing action and at the same time 'tends te reducethe' wearof4 the'sealing finger andi-baseportion'during1A door-closing action. As azresult of thead-dition of' stress-relieving indentationsto=tlie base of the-cantileverv-type sealing strip itis possible'to lmaterially imprcme` the duralnilityA andelliciencyof the strip Without materialgf increasinglts cost of'manufacture or installa- It is a primary c'ib'jecty of this invention te.r pro- Vide a resilient sealing. strip of.v the cantilevertype. which. includes means adapted to relieve` the stresses set-up within theseal andthe attaching bond asa result ofthe flexing of the sealingfinger into e engagement with the sealing wall. The stress-'relieving formations thus improve the durability:v of: both. thev sealing .strip `and thebond betweenftliev striprand itsssupp'ortin'g surface..

f It is a'A further: object of: this inventicn'to' provide a vresilient:door seal. of the cantilever-type which 55 incudesri 'stressl relieving: 'formationsfiadaptedrz to` symmetrically shaped, sealing finger I9.

improve the life of the seal as well as the exibility of the sealing finger.

It is an additional object of this invention to provide an improved seal of a simplified form which is economical to manufacture and install,`

tion of my seal when considered in conjunctionA with the drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a side View of an automobile equipped :f

with a door cushioning and sealing means constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional elevational view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, indicating the position of the tensioned sealing finger and asso- 1 ciated members after closing of the door; and

,4 relatively narrow throat portion 2| which con nects finger I9 to base portion I8 in such a manner as to provide the necessary hinging action between the sealing nger I9 and the base portion I8. The long sealing linger I9 insures a perfect seal, regardless of the variations in clearance between the door and the surrounding door frame. ',Due tothe symmetrical design of the sealing stripv I2, it is obvious that regardless of the way in which the base portion IS of the vsealing strip I2 is placed in the corner between theside edge I 'I and the marginal flange I3 of the door, the sealing finger I9 will always pro- Fig. 3 is an enlarged, sectional, elevational view of a door having my improved sealing strip mounted thereon, the seal being shown in the unstressed condition prior to swinging of the door into engagement with the door frame.

Each door I D, supported on the usual hinges II, is provided with a cushioning and sealing strip I2. Sealingstrip I2 is mounted on the side edge ofthe door adjacent the inside face of the door marginal flange I3. The door frame I4 has a continuous marginal recess I5 adapted to receive the sealing strip I2 and the flange I3 of the door so that the outside of the door willbe substantially flush with the outside of the vehicle bodywhen the door is closed. The usn relationship between the' door and body is preferably maintained at all points around the door except along the top of the door where, as disclosed in Fig. 2, the body is preferably formed with an outwardly projecting gutter 28 to prevent drainage into the sealing joint between the door and the rbody.l- The sealing strip 4I2 will door flange I3andfto the side edge II of the doorv III. The seal I2 is formed in cross section so that it is-symmetrically shaped and com-` prises a substantially right-angledbase portion I8 and a rearwardly projecting sealing finger` I9. The nat-sided base portion I8 is adapted-to be seated in the corner between the door flange I3 and the side edge I 'I of the door. Inl cross` section this base portion I8 is substantially of' an isosceles triangular configuration having the rear base side or base wall extending at approximately vforty-five degrees with both base portion side walls that are seated against the door side wall I1 and the vertical door flange I3. `The base portion I8 ofthe sealingfstrip I2 resembles in cross section an arrowhead and is yadapted to have its pointed or vertex'portion 22'seated in the corner betweentheflange` I3 such-as to .forman elongated projectionwith a 75.

always function in the same manner.

ject at' the same angle and consequently will This symmetrical construction thereby eliminates the possibility ofthe sealing strip being installed in a reversed or backwards position so that the sealing nger I9 would extend at such an acute angle that it would be bent inwardly and compressed on door closing instead of being bent outwardly and-'tensioned against the wall 24 of door jarnb 23.

AAs previously mentioned the application-of Karl Pfeiffer, Serial No. 760,957, filed July .15, l947--broadly discloses a symmetrically shaped, cantilever-type, sealing strip. `This application covers a-modication of the Pfeiffer seal which improves the durability rand a sealing action of this type of seal. On `bending the sealing finger I9 against the door jamb 23, on door closing movement, the finger I9 is pivoted about its connection to the base I8 and stresses and strains are set up within the base portion IB. These stresses not only deform the strip but they are transmitted to the bond 25 between the strip and the door edge and tend to destroy the bonded connection 25 and to tear the strip away from the door edge. Once the bonded connection begins to separate then the combined action of moisture, ice, snow and the stresses set up during door closing action lquickly tear the seal from the door. It has 'been found that by placing stress-relieving grooves or indentations 26 and 21 along the base portion of the seal,

adjacent the connection of the sealing finger to the base portion, that detrimental eflectsvof the stresses set up by the pivoting ofthe sealingv finger are substantially eliminated and furthermore the flexibility lof the sealing finger is im-' The stress relieving 'indentations 25. and 2'! not only prevent transmission of the proved.

bendingstresses to the bond 25 but they also prevent the development of cracks in the base portion ofthe seal dueto the pivotal movementofthe sealing nger I9. ,f As a resultof the in' resulting from frictional engagement with the door jamb. Another advantage -of the stress-I relieving indentations or'conflgurations is that:

the'ytendV to relieve stresses-set up within the seal due to bending ofthe `seal about corners of the door or around sharply curved vportions of the door. during' 4installation iof. the' seal. 4These latterstresses tend 'to form'cracks along the seal which are obviously detrimental.

prevent deterioration of this type.

After the Vsealing strip I 2 has been installed on the side edge of the door and anchored i'n placef'by a suitable adhesive, a coating or film of some air impervious, fast-setting, v'preservative suchas wax, butyl/or neoprene rubber, "lacquer,"`

I The increasedY flexibility of the seal herein disclosed tendsito or a resin, may be applied to the exposed surfaces of those portions of the sealing strip which have become highly stressed due to their being bent around sharp corners or sharply curved portions along the door edge. The application of an air impervious coating to the more highly stressed portions of the sealing strip, immediately after installation of the strip, permits the stressed portions of the strip to set without exposure to the air and it has been found that such a process prevents cracking or other deterioration which otherwise might develop along the more highly stressed portions of the seal. In order to be most successful it is imperative that the air impervious coating be applied within approximately 24 hours after installation of the seal, for after that period of time the more highly stressed portions of the seal will have already set while exposed to the air and the cracks may have already developed.

I claim:

l. In a closure construction, a symmetrically shaped sealing strip of resilient material formed so as to provide in cross section a at-sided base portion of a substantially right triangular configuration, a cantilever-type, symmetrically shaped sealing nger normal to and extending outwardly from the hypotenuse side of said base portion along a line that bisects the right angle between the sides of said base portion, and longitudinally extending V-shaped stress-relieving indentations formed in the hypotenuse side of said base portion adjacent each side of said sealing finger.

2. In a closure construction a sealing strip of resilient material formed in cross section to provide a flat sided, symmetrically shaped base portion of substantially right triangular configuration and a symmetrically shaped, cantilever-type, sealing finger extending outwardly from the medial portion of the hypotenuse side of said base portion, said hypotenuse side of said base portion including stress-relieving indentations positioned on opposite sides of said finger.

3. In an automobile body construction, a door frame having a jamb portion including a recess providing an exteriorly exposed, substantially vertical wall, a door hingedly mounted on said frame, said door having a substantially vertically extending, exterior, marginal flange arranged at right angles to the side edge of the door and adapted to be positioned in the door jamb recess when said door is in closed position, and a sealing strip of resilient material having pre-formed portions thereof bonded to the side edge of said door and to the inner side of said marginal flange, said sealing strip comprising a symmetrically shaped, at-sided, right triangular base portion of suitable cross sectional configuration to t within the corner between the side edge of the door and the marginal flange thereon, and a cantilever type, sealing nger extending outwardly from the medial portion of an exposed side of said base portion, said sealing finger being so constructed and arranged as to engage and be bent outwardly by the vertical wall of said jamb recess as the door is moved to closed position, said exposed side of said base portion having longitudinally extending grooves adjacent each side of the connection of the sealing linger to the base portion adapted to increase the flexibility of the sealing nger and to relieve the stresses within the base portion when the sealing finger is bent about the base portion on door closing movement.

4. In a closure construction, a sealing strip of resilient material formed in oros-s section to provide a symmetrically shaped, at sided, base portion of substantially right triangular configuration having the hypotenuse wall thereof extending at approximately forty-five degrees with the side walls thereof, a symmetrically shaped, cantilever-type, sealing nger arranged to extend normal to said hypotenuse wall and extending outwardly from the medial portion thereof, and longitudinally extending indentations formed in the hypotenuse wall of said base portion so as to extend along opposite sides of said sealing finger, said indentations being adapted to increase the flexibility of said sealing finger and to relieve the stresses set up in said base portion due to flexing of said finger.

5. In an automobile door construction including a door frame having a jamb portion providing an exteriorly exposed, substantially vertical wall, a door hinged to said jamb having a right angled recess extending about the side edges thereof, a sealing strip of resilient material mounted in the right angled recess, said strip being formed in cross section to provide a flat sided, symmetrically shaped base portion of right triangular configuration and having a cantilever type, symmetrically shaped, sealing finger normal to and extending outwardly from the medial portion of the hypotenuse side of said base portion so as to substantially bisect the right angle of said base portion, said nger being adapted to be bent into sealing engagement with the vertical wall of the door jamb when the door is moved to closed position, and stress-relieving indentations formed in the hypotenuse side of said base portion adjacent each side of said sealing nger adapted to increase the flexibility of said finger.

6. In a closure construction, a sealing strip of resilient material formed in cross section to provide a symmetrically shaped, flat sided, base portion of substantially right triangular co-nfiguration having the hypotenuse wall thereof extending at approximately forty-five degrees with the side walls thereof, a symmetrically shaped, cantilever-type, sealing nger arranged to extend normal to said hypotenuse wall and extending outwardly from the medial portion thereof, and means associated with said base portion for increasing the flexibility of the sealing finger.

' JOHN C. DUDLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS France Mar. 14, 1933 Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,513,789 July 4, 1950 JOHN C. DUDLEY It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 1, line 16, before the Word strips insert sealing; column 2, line 33, for stress-relieveing read stress-relieving;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read as corrected above, so that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Ofee. Signed and sealed this 3rd day of October, A. D. 1950.

THOMAS F. MURPHY, v

Assistant (lommz'ssz'oner of Patents. 

